Any questions from prospects or lookers from real Watkins and Shepard drivers?

Sorry. I failed to find the humor in this. I guess I just dupid

 

Really? 'Cause I'm still on probation AND a team driver (which means I make very little per mile), and our truck has made over $1500 in a week before. I can see a good driver like A/T doing 4000 miles in a week on occasion. We haven't quite hit the 20,000 mile/month range, but we're flatbed (no weekend deliveries) and in this to enjoy it, so we don't push as hard.

No one from W/S gets paid to beef up the company; those of us who do it love who we work for and can't help telling others. None of us claim W/S doesn't have flaws; we just would rather deal with the flaws we got than get someone else's.

Seems like someone else might be getting paid to bad-talk W/S, though. Maybe TD got a second account??

 

Okay, please forgive dumb questions....
I see that some of the biggest reasons many of you went with Watkins/Shepard was they are a good company with happy drivers AND that you do not have to do time with a trainer. I understand that the orientation is 10 days and a ton of stuff is covered. But, since I have no trucking experience, there are many things that I dont know.

1. Do they teach you how to drive in snow? Living in the Phoenix area, I've never had to do it.

2. Many times you see some trucks stopping at scales near state lines and many trucks do not....how do you know if you need to? I guess this is covered in the "10 day training"...

3. I am a hard worker and manage my time well...but if you've never been taught by a trainer out on the road...how do you know if you are doing all you need to?

4. I see in a lot of the W/S threads that you guys have certain truck stops that you avoid or might be dangerous. How do you guys know where they are...or is it trial and error?

I know that being a professsional driver involves a lot more than simply driving. I know these questions are pretty minor issues, I am just curious. I REALLY like that you dont have to ride with a stinky, rude, irritating trainer with W/S. If any of you can answer these, I'd appreciate it.

 

1. Do they teach you how to drive in snow? Living in the Phoenix area, I've never had to do it.

They go over basic common sense SLOW DOWN IN SNOW/ICE


2. Many times you see some trucks stopping at scales near state lines and many trucks do not....how do you know if you need to? I guess this is covered in the "10 day training"...

If the sign says OPEN, you pull in. If it says CLOSED, you don't. The ONLY exception to that is if you have PRE-PASS which we do, which is a little transponder in the cab that will light up green or red before you get to the scale (there are scales under the highway) if it turns green you can pass the scale even if its open. But if it turns red you have to pull in. And Yes they will go over this.


3. I am a hard worker and manage my time well...but if you've never been taught by a trainer out on the road...how do you know if you are doing all you need to?

Trucking is 99% common sense or learned from Experiance. What you dont learn in Truck Driving school, or in orientation you learn on your own out on the road. It really isnt hard at all.



4. I see in a lot of the W/S threads that you guys have certain truck stops that you avoid or might be dangerous. How do you guys know where they are...or is it trial and error?

Trial and Error or maybe a driver tells you about one, or you read about them on here. I "check out" trucks stops enroute so another time if that may be an option to shut down i'll know weather or not i want to stop there.



American Trucker

 

All I can say is..... ....

Hey AT...make sure you share all those "kick backs" with us...huh?

 

I remember answering a few questions for AT when he 1st looks at WS. I was accused at that time of recruiting, when I 1st started WS I thought they were awesome, very god company. RIGHT now I would have to really think about going back there just some market things to watch and talking to several of my buddies who are with them struggling with miles. I think in the past year WS is reinventing itself trying to fix some wrongs but it may be too little too late, I hope the best for all mt brothers there but I fear they could be headed in the wrong direction. AT is a good kid, young a bit high strung, needs to keep it real which most of the time he does. If you have questions dont rely on 1 persons opinions ask several and then combine and see what is best for you. IMO if someone goes off one persons thread then you are the one to blame for not doing your own homework using several sources. Just my opinion.

 

And WTF is that suposed to mean????



And if your buddies are struggling with miles they are doing something wrong, OR it happens every now and then and they just want to beach about it all day.





American Trucker

 

I'm tracking to make over $50k my first year and get all the miles I can handle, very rarely am I sitting...The company rocks, no complaints!

I do hear some people not having the same experience I'm having but it's such a minority and has to be expected in any company of this size, it can't be perfect...Even companies like Swift, Schneider and Prime have many happy people...

>>>> I know a guy that just quit after starting because it was nothing AmericanTrucker said it was..

Happens...However, more have AT's experience with the company than don't...

 

I called WS yesterday and asked if I live in their hiring area, I was transferred to a recruiter, I got the answering service. I left a message with the info for where I live and question about their hiring area. Not good, they never returned my call. Their terminal in Conover is a 3.5 hour drive from my house. I'm afraid that may be to far. I see on their website that they have a terminal in High Point. That's about 2 hours from me. But no one speaks of that terminal in the forums, so I'm wondering if that terminal is still in operation? What is the max distance from terminal that they hire drivers?thanks.

 

Im not sure of the max distance anymore, I think they increased it but not sure how far. The Highpoint location is just a dropyard where local drivers drop loaded trailers, so not sure that would benifit you any. Give the recruiters a few days and them call them back, they are pretty busy these days. Good luck.